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British Rail Class 104
, 108 , 15 , 56 , 26 , 26 . Total: 302 cars | numberservice = | numberpreserved = | numberscrapped = | formation = 2 car sets: DMBS-DTCL 3 car sets: DMBS-TCL-DMCL 4 cars sets:DMCL-TSL-TBSL-DMCL | fleetnumbers = | capacity = DMBS: 52, DMCL/DTCL: 12F 51S, TCL: 12F 54, TBSL: 51, TSL: 69 | operator = British Rail | depots = | lines = | carbody = | trainlength = | carlength = | width = | height = | floorheight = | platformheight = | entrylevelorstep = | art-sections = | doors = | maxspeed = | weight = DMCL/DMBS: , TBSL: , DTCL/TCL/TSL: | acceleration = | deceleration = | traction = | engine = Two B.U.T. (Leyland) 6-cylinder diesels of 150 bhp each | poweroutput = | transmission = Mechanical: 4 speed epicyclic gearbox | aux = | powersupply = | hvac = | electricsystem = | collectionmethod = | uicclass = | aarwheels = | bogies = | brakes = Vacuum | safety = Automatic Warning System | coupling = | multipleworking = | gauge = }} The British Rail Class 104 diesel multiple units were built by Birmingham Railway Carriage and Wagon Company from 1957 to 1959. The first units ordered were for the London Midland Region, with the majority of the class for use in North West of England. Sets were also used in Tyneside, replacing the former LNER Tyneside electric units following the de-electrification of the North Tyneside Loop line in 1967, but were themselves made redundant by the opening of the Tyne & Wear Metro in 1980. In the mid-1980s a few units reallocated to Scotland, with one unit being repainted in a unique maroon and white livery for services to Oban – it became known as the "Mexican Bean".See 'External images' box for photograph of the "Mexican Bean" unit. Other vehicles spent time in London and the last vehicles could be found there in the early 1990s, notably on the Gospel Oak to Barking Line. The class was gradually taken out of service from the early 1980s and was replaced by Sprinters. The final vehicles were withdrawn in 1995. Orders Gallery File:Buxton railway station (Derbyshire) in 1978.jpg|BR Blue-liveried Class 104 in the snow, Buxton (Derbyshire) 24 December 1978 Image:Class 104 at Castleton.jpg|Class 104 at Castleton station 29 September 1982 Image:EXPDM352 at Longsight Diesel TMD.jpg|Unit EXP.DM.352. at its home depot of Longsight Diesel TMD, Manchester, 15 January 1984 Departmental Use A number of Class 104s were used following their withdrawal from passenger services. The last two London Midland DTCL vehicles to survive, M54182 & M54183, were converted in 1987/1988 into loco hauled Sandite cars and renumbered ADB977554/ADB977555 respectively.The Railcar Association. Available at: http://www.railcar.co.uk/his100-109/104non.htm Used until 1994, M54183 was scrapped in February 1994Butlin, Ashley. DMUs and DEMUs. while M54182 was stored at Buxton until June 2000 and was saved for preservation.BRCW Group. Available at: http://www.brcw.co.uk/#/m56182/4524743112 Other Sandite cars included 53472, 53478 & 53530 which were used in Scotland until April 1989.The Railcar Association. Available at: http://www.railcar.co.uk/his100-109/104non.htm Derby RTC, known for their railway testing, used 53475, 53506 & 53422 (renumbered 977342, 977343 & 977344 respectively) as carriage washing test coaches. They also used 53451 & 53529 as part of DMU auto-gear experiments until February 1991.The Railcar Association. Available at: http://www.railcar.co.uk/his100-109/104non.htm M54182 was the only vehicle converted for non-passenger use to survive into preservation.Butlin, Ashley. DMUs and DEMUs. In 2008 after several years in storage, the vehicle was restored externally, retaining its departmental condition and run in a demonstration capacity with Class 37 37075 for a gala weekend at the Churnet Valley Railway.BRCW Group. Available at: http://www.brcw.co.uk/#/m56182/4524743112 It was believed by the organisers to be the first and only time that departmental DMU Sandite operations had been recreated in a heritage setting. Preservation 13 Class 104 vehicles are preserved, all owned privately by two individuals.The Railcar Association. Available at: http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/Class104.html 12 vehicles were preserved in 1992 in a bulk tender from British Rail who at the time were reluctant to sell individual vehicles or sets.The Railcar Association. Available at: http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/Class104.html The thirteenth was saved in 2000 after protracted storage after departmental use.BRCW Group. Available at: http://www.brcw.co.uk/#/m56182/4524743112 Churnet Valley Railway The Churnet Valley Railway is the main location for Class 104 preservation, with six preserved vehicles based there.BRCW Group. Available at: http://brcw.co.uk The line is geographically appropriate to the Class, being close to Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield, and other lines that the Class 104's served for most of their lives.The Railcar Association. Available at: http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/ChurnetValley.html A small restoration team returned a 2-car set to service between 1997 & 2004.BRCW Group. Available at: http://www.brcw.co.uk/#/m50517/4524743110 Between 2005 & 2010 attention turned to the rebuild of unique Trailer Composite Lavatory (TCL) M59137 to strengthen the 2-car set to 3 cars, however limited resources put the restoration on hold.BRCW Group. Available at: http://www.brcw.co.uk/#/m59137/4535742639 Driving Trailer Composite Lavatory (DTCL) ADB977554 was also cosmetically restored into BR Blue livery in 2008 and performed demonstration sandite trains that year with Class 37 Diesel 37075. Llangollen Railway The Llangollen Railway received three vehicles in 1994 on a long term loan basis.The Railcar Association. Available at: http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/50454.html A 2-car set (M50454/M50528) was quickly returned to service in 1994 and has operated in service every season bar one since.Llangollen Railcars. Available at: http://www.llangollenrailcars.com/50454/M50454.htm The railway also have a "spare" power car (M50447) which was used as a mess-coach and workshop between 1994 & 2011 before being selected itself for a restoration to operating condition, which is currently ongoing.Llangollen Railcars. Available at: http://www.llangollenrailcars.com/50447/M50447.htm Telford Steam Railway The Telford Steam Railway is home to the remaining four vehicles (also on long term loan), which arrived between 1999 and 2001 from Oswestry, Crewe and Meadowhall.The Railcar Association. Available at: http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/Class104.html Between 1999 & 2004 the railway operated a 2-car set formed of M50479/M50531 but it was later downgraded to coaching stock use only and by 2010 only M50479 was used.The Railcar Association. Available at: http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/50531.html The other two vehicles, 59228 & 53556, are long term projects in poor condition and have not run in preservation.The Railcar Association. Available at: http://preserved.railcar.co.uk/Telford.html References * * * * * * External links *Llangollen Railcar Group - owners of preserved DMUs on Llangollen Railway. *The Birmingham Railcar Workgroup *The Railcar Association *Telford Steam Railway 104 Category:BRCW multiple units